By Moonlight (P.P + M.J)

34. Careful

Peter didn't go back to school that day, but instead did some light investigating. While he wanted to know where Werewolf had gone, he also wanted to know where "Lizard", as Werewolf had called him, had escaped to. He was obviously a person, and Peter was so close to seeing who he was before Werewolf got shot. So, he went down into the sewers that lay under the school and had a look around. While Lizard was nowhere to be found, Peter did happen upon a ripped up lab coat from Oscorp. He wondered if there was a connection. He went above ground and stashed it in an alley before following a particular drain that went into the East River. But as he swung by, he found nothing but a couple of pedestrians, one of them shirtless weirdly.

He was about to scan them just out of curiosity before he was interrupted by the ringing of his cellphone. He landed on top of a building and fumbled around for his phone. He lifted his mask over his mouth and answered it, trying to sound casual.

"What up, May?"

"Peter! Are you okay?!" It was Aunt May, sounding anxious and very concerned.

"Woah, woah, I'm okay," Peter said, pacing the roof, "I'm fine, there's nothing to worry about."

"I'll say! When I heard that Wolfman thing attacked the school, I assumed you'd fought it. But when you didn't call-."

"He didn't attack the- whatever, it's fine and I'll be home soon. I just need to do some things," Peter said, frustrated that once again Werewolf was being blamed for something that wasn't his fault.

"Peter, Tony's here," May then said, her voice now calm, and Peter's blood ran cold. Why would Mr.Stark be at his house? Was his mentor worried about him? Peter thought he was overseas! Did he know about the incident at school? Was he here because of that?

"Okay, I'll be home in a few," Peter replied, trying to keep up his casual air before hanging up. Shaking his head to dispel anxiety-inducing thoughts, Peter put his phone away and webbed up into the buildings. He didn't want to go home just yet, because there was still so much for him to do, but he didn't want to keep Mr.Stark waiting.

As he swung, he received a text message from MJ. Karen read it for him, and MJ told him that she had big news and needed to see him. He responded with that he'd see her later that night, because he was going to talk Mr.Stark. He left the Manhattan area and eventually got to his neighborhood. Just like every other night, he went low on the roofs and slipped through his window. He landed in his room and quickly changed, throwing on a science pun t-shirt, jeans, and a jacket, because the apartment was chilly that day.

He walked into the kitchen and saw Mr.Stark and Aunt May talking. They stopped upon his entry, and Tony gave him a smile.

"Hey kid!" He greeted with a smile, and Peter couldn't tell whether he was faking it or not, "how was school today?"

"Uh, eventful," Peter stammered, not sure if the billionaire superhero was being sarcastic with him, "a lot went down."

"Clearly. Let's go talk, big guy," Tony said, and he led Peter back to his room, leaving May alone in the kitchen.

They sat on his bed, and Peter couldn't wait. He felt like he knew what Tony was going to say, so before he could, Peter launched into a story about the incident. He declared Werewolf's innocence and told of Lizard's villainy, on how he had hunted Peter down after discovering his identity. Tony listened quietly, his face unchanging as Peter ranted, the boy anxiously pacing the room as he spoke. When he finished telling his tale, he stood in front of Tony expectantly, hands on his hips, awaiting his mentor's response.

"You know, I'm trying this thing where you handle your own bad guys. You know, taking the training wheels off, that kind of deal," Tony began, and Peter sat down beside him, "so I'm just going to ignore the fact that a mutant lizard knows who you are and tracked you down in your own school, just for now, okay?"

"So, why are you here then?" Peter asked, confused on Tony's motives. He had thought the Avenger had come to scold him or something, but if that wasn't it, what did he want?

"I'm here because of a certain someone I've been informed of," he replied, giving Peter a sly grin, "someone special that has entered your life?"

Peter went red, and he rubbed the back of his neck, stammering, "I, uh, don't know who you mean."

"Come on, kid, your A.I. told me everything," Tony said with a wave of his hand, "but I want to know from you. Who is she?"

Come on, Karen, Peter thought inwardly. He would have a few words with her later.

"Well, her name's MJ, and she's great, Mr.Stark, so great that words don't do her justice," Peter explained dreamily, "she's smart, funny, and loves to read."

"Sounds like the total package."

"Like you wouldn't believe."

"But you do know what this means, right?" Tony then asked him, and Peter gave his mentor a quizzical look, "now that your baddie knows who you are, it puts people in danger. Trust me, I know. First, he attacks your school, then your home, and then everybody you care about."

"It won't come to that."

"It doesn't matter, Pete. The point is, you have to be careful. I know you like this girl, but just consider if you're willing to put her danger. Hell, you put your entire school in danger when this lizard thing found out who you were!"

"And who are you to talk?" Peter suddenly snapped, maybe a little too harshly, "the whole world knows who you are! Your house got blown up because you told a terrorist where you lived!"

"But that was on me, and I almost lost everything because of that recklessness. I just don't want the same to happen to you."

"So, what are you telling me to do? Distance myself?"

"Listen Underoos, I'm not telling you to do anything. It's your life, and if you're gonna be with this chick, be ready to protect her with everything you've got. If this lizard knows you, it will come to know her too. Be ready for that."

Peter hung his head, knowing deep down that the Avenger was right. Tony took hold of Peter's shoulder and gave it a shake, but it didn't lighten the boy's heart. He had just earned MJ's affection, and the thought of not being with her drove a dagger through his heart. It was like being clawed by Werewolf all over again.

Tony sighed, feeling empathy for his his young apprentice. Giving his shoulder one last comforting shake, he said, "it's just something to keep in mind. But when it comes to this whole lizard thing, I have some recordings from your suit from when you confronted the thing at Oscorp. I'll have the FBI on the lookout for it."

"But what about Werewolf? Can you take the heat off him?"

"I'll do what I can. The NYPD are still pissed at him for what happened in Times Square, but I'll find a way to work them over, like maybe a sizable donation, eh?" Tony then got up from Peter's bed and went over to the door. As he grabbed the handle, he turned to look at his young protege, "do you love her?"

"W-what?" Peter stammered, caught off-guard by Tony's question. How could he answer a thing like that? He had only been officially with her for just a few days. Did he even know? What did love feel like?

"Ha, that's what I thought," Tony laughed before exiting the room.

But the question still rang in Peter's mind, echoing through his head.

Did he love MJ?

I've said this before, and some of you might remember me saying this in earlier chapters, but I tend to accidentally publish chapters that aren't completed. So if you get a notification or something but nothing's there, just know that it was a mistake by me. It's a terrible habit and I hate to disappoint, so because I literally did it twice today, here's 34. And yes, this is legit. :)

~Fargone5